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Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. Jordan Kartholl / Star Press

Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl / Star Press)Buy Photo

Slaven, who runs the pro shop at Munsee Lanes, organized the bowling tournament in honor of Patton to raise money — maybe $4,000 to $5,000 — and help with some of the funeral expenses. He put a call-out on Facebook for signups.

In just 33 hours, all 40 lanes at the bowling alley were filled with teams of five people. And Slaven is still gathering donations. By the end of the event, $4,598.50 was raised.

"This community is wonderful," he told the crowd, fighting back tears, before the tournament kicked off.

It was fitting the fundraiser was held at Munsee Lanes because Patton was there up to three times a week for leagues and practicing. He bowled one year at Southside High School and the rest at Central High School after the consolidation. He continued his passion through coaching bowling at Monroe Central and participating in winter and summer leagues.

Slaven said Patton actually was on his way to bowl at Munsee Lanes on the night he died.

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Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl / Star Press)

To know Patton as a bowler, and as a person, Slaven shared a story from when he coached the Southside High School bowling team Patton's freshman year. With only seven open spots for the sectional, he recalls Patton tying another bowler for that final spot. Because Patton was only a freshman, Slaven said he gave the other bowler the chance at postseason play. That didn't stop Patton from showing up at sectional to support the team. And then at regional. And again at semistate.

"He was just a very good young man," Slaven said.

Those words were consistent among others who shared memories of Patton on Saturday.

Robert Harris, sporting a shirt commemorating Patton's memory, said the two had known each other for nine years. They attended the former Wilson Middle School together, and when they attended the former Southside High School, they were on the bowling team. Harris said Patton was always there when he needed him.

"That boy would do anything for anybody," he said.

Kassidy McDonald, who bowled with Patton in high school, said Patton had a strong work ethic. He was always the first one at practice and the last one done.

"I would definitely say he was passionate," she said.

Slaven said when Patton wasn't working, he was at Munsee Lanes and even showed aspirations of wanting to run a bowling alley one day, so he shadowed Slaven at his pro shop.

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Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl / Star Press)

Patton also fell into coaching. Christina Kramer said he was like a brother to her daughters, particularly her daughter Wendy. They were the same age and bowled together their freshman year at Southside High School. Wendy attended Monroe Central after the Muncie schools consolidated, actually helping to start Monroe Central's bowling team her junior year. Christina coached for a while. Then Christina left, and Patton and Wendy filled in after they graduated high school.

Christina said she understands the grief Patton's family feels. She lost her daughter, Angie Barlow. Remains found on the northeast side of Indianapolis were identified as belonging to the 23-year-old who had been missing since October 2016. Like Patton, Barlow was a bowler. Her family and Slaven coordinated to create a bowling scholarship in her honor and recently donated $250 from that fund, in Barlow's name, for Patton's funeral expenses.

Among the large crowd at Munsee Lanes' fundraiser Saturday afternoon were bowlers, as well as non-bowlers, from across the community. Some sported old Southside bowling shirts. Many wore the specially-made shirts with Patton's picture on them. A 50/50 drawing, bake sale and raffle with dozens of community donations lined tables inside.

"The love everyone had for him ... there's just no words," Patton's aunt Andrea Neal said, wearing a shirt in remembrance of her nephew.

Slaven said it's been a tough two weeks for him, the bowling community and all those who knew Patton. But seeing the large crowd at Saturday's event provided a little hope.

"I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He was a very kindhearted person," Slaven said. "He's liable to walk in the door, and there be nobody here except three or four people down here bowling. He would go down and then ask them if they cared if he bowled with them. That's what kind of person he was. Just a very outgoing, friendly, young person.

"And I'll miss him."

Audrey Kirby is a reporter at the Star Press. Follow her on Twitter @ajanekirby, and email her story ideas: ajkirby@muncie.gannett.com.

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Hundreds of attendees competed in a Munsee Lanes bowling tournament to raise money to cover funeral expenses for Braxton Patton, 21, who was one of two men killed in a head-on collision on Ind. 67 on Thursday, Aug. 9. All 40 lanes at the facility were rented out by community members in just over a day. The event also featured raffles and auctions to aide in fundraising. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl / Star Press)